Fort Worth police released bodycam footage that clearly disputes the narrative that Forrest Curry did not resist arrest.

Fort Worth, TX – The Fort Worth Police Department (FWPD) released bodycam footage that showed the arrest of a man who fought with police for nearly five minutes (video below.)

A brief cellphone recording of the altercation had caused outrage on social media.

The cellphone video, which was recorded by a man traveling by in his vehicle, captured just 45 seconds of Forrest Curry’s arrest on Saturday.

“The video being circulated depicts officers struggling with the male and striking him as they attempt to handcuff him,” Fort Worth Police Chief Joel Fitzgerald explained in a press release on Sunday. “What the video does not depict is that it took three officers and one supervisor to effectively place the resisting subject into handcuffs.”

The officers involved in the altercation pushed for the release of the bodycam footage, Assistant Police Chief Charles Ramirez told the Star-Telegram.

The incident took place after the Fort Worth Fire Department (FWFD) received a call that two men were passed out in the breezeway of an apartment complex, KDFW reported.

According to CBS News, the reporting party was concerned that the men might be dead. The FWFD also received a separate report that a man was having a seizure.

The FWFD medics told police that when they arrived at the scene, Curry, 35, began throwing punches at them.

Curry fled from police when they responded to assist, resulting in a foot pursuit that lasted for approximately three blocks, KTVT reported.

The bodycam footage showed police as they attempted to place Curry into handcuffs, while he argued, complained, and refused to place his hand behind his back.

One of the officers delivered several distraction strikes, which Chief Ramirez said was a part of every FWPD officer’s training, according to KDFW.

"The body camera video provides insight into the erratic behavior and active resistance presented by Mr. Curry throughout the duration of the arrest process," the department said in a statement to CBS News. "Ultimately, to safely effect his arrest required five officers to negate his flight, active resistance to being handcuffed, and taken into police custody."

Fort Worth Assistant City Manager Jay Chapa noted that the cellphone video of the incident did not fully capture what occurred, and that the bodycam needed to be released “for the sake of transparency,” the Star-Telegram reported.

“It shows exactly what happened,” Chapa said.

“As you can see, he's resisting the whole time," Chief Ramirez told the Star-Telegram. "The officers showed a lot of restraint. They are young officers and did what we expected them to do. This shows what the officers were actually dealing with."

The officers were also backed by Mayor Betsy Price, who praised their actions, and the FWPD as a whole.

“Every day, our officers are faced with very difficult decisions as they ensure the safety of Fort Worth residents,” Price said. “The release of this footage demonstrates a proactive approach and gives the public a better understanding of the actions taken by our officers in this specific incident.”

Curry was arrested for resisting arrest, evading arrest, and public intoxication, the New York Daily News reported.

Curry’s lawyers, L. Chris Stewart and Jasmine Crockett, claimed that Curry had experienced a seizure just before police arrived at the scene, and said he didn't know that officers were on top of him, according to the New York Daily News.

"Unfortunately, it seems the Fort Worth Police Department has a culture of violating the rights of people of color,” Stewart and Crockett said in written statement, according to The Dallas Morning News.

Crockett blasted Chief Fitzgerald for his objective response to the incident.

“You would think an African-American chief, out of all people, would have some understanding this type of situation,” she told the New York Daily News.

Crockett called the release of the bodycam footage a “self-serving tactic” on the department’s behalf, according to CBS News.

"It seems as if he suffered from a seizure and woke up potentially disoriented with what was going on," she claimed. "I honestly don't believe that he resisted."

That the one where the kid was breaking into a House and then ran from the cops then turned and came towards them with something in his hands in a shooting stance, no need to get a straight story on that one. Now that guy’s brother on the other hand needs to be muted.

Hi_estComnDenomn

Apr 9

@ThinbluelineThe cameras in Stephon Clark's killing were muted, probably to get their stories together.

The camera’s that I know of cannot be muted or altered, they record and the store, no way to mute them or edit them, I can’t speak of other camera’s or other policies about their use. If they were to be muted for anything other that legal reasons or what policy dictates then yes I would condemn that but since I have never seen evidence of that it is still a unicorn.

Burgers Allday

Apr 8

@BD: Interesting info. Officer should have activated camera sooner. Hopefully there will be some retraining on that.

BravoDelta

Apr 8

Axon body cameras have a 30-second audio delay.They "buffer" the last 30 seconds of video. When an officer activates the camera, the last 30 seconds BEFORE he presses it are saved, along with the video after.

But there is no audio during those first 30 seconds of buffer. It's a well-known feature -- it's in the Axon manual for example -- not some editing conspiracy.

Google "axon 30 second delay."

Burgers Allday

Apr 8

I also wonder if there is bodycam video footage showing the time gap between what the dashcam video shows (suspect being tackled onto the grass) and the point where the bodycam footage in the released video starts (suspect in the gutter).

In some states you can't record audio without the other persons permission, but you can record video. Agencies have different policies regarding when you should turn the audio on; sometimes to comply with a law, or to save storage space in the device. . Perhaps this officer was too busy to turn his audio on until he had help there because Curry was resisting and his hands were full. There are lots of reasons, and the one you are probably thinking about (police lie) is not the right one. I would bet the audio that isn't there would be a lot like what is there "fuck you" turn over "fuck you" stop resisting "fuck you" .....

Burgers Allday

Apr 8

@TBL: If it did turn out that the police edited the sound on the version of the video that was released to the public, would you condemn that as being unethical?

Have you ever worn a body cam? If so they you know that they are junk, some have wires that break or get pulled out easily, most are attached by magnets and easily get detached while grappling, they are not the end all and sometimes don’t work.

Celtic Gyrl

Apr 8

I thought the video showed the officers trying very hard to restrain him without incurring any injury. One kept trying to calm him and talk him down. I saw no body strikes or inappropriate physical acts by the police. It took 5 strong officers to finally get him controlled and handcuffed. What drugs was he on? Something that increased his erratic behavior while increasing his strength? The original call was to check on two passed out individuals. I side with FWPD on this one.

FSchloss

Apr 8

Oh, for the good old days. Simply choke him out, put the cuffs on, and by that time he's awake and ready to be transported. No muss, no fuss, and no injury.

Burgers Allday

Apr 8

Mine has sound for most of it, too. That is part of what prompted my comment.

My thoughts exactly! These shyster lawyers make a lot of money by pushing their false narrative. Just makes me hesitant to EVER believe them because they are shown time after time to be exaggerating greatly or telling an outright lie. What difference does it make if he Had had a seizure. Only way to get him medical attention was to restrain him. This man may have been wallowing in the gutter (literally), but the attorney is the true gutter rat!

after seeing this video I feel the police did a great job... the man involved was resisting... I truly do not believe he would have been arrested at all if he had not been taking swings at the medics (who were there to see if he needed medical assistance) and then tried to run. I know we see no video of him swinging at medics but medics don't wear body cameras... at least not yet...

Heezels

Apr 8

Also, this video is really good at showing the proper way to arrest someone. Would make for great training footage.

Heezels

Apr 8

Lol, how dare those depraved officers try to talk the suspect down while he’s very visibly resisting arrest. Bunch of psychopaths, I tell you.

Burgers Allday

Apr 8

What's with the missing sound?

Rascal1966

Apr 8

He was fighting and resisting the entire time!! Just ambulance chaser attorneys and a thug hoping for the ghetto lottery. Smdh